Older Thai woman targeted in alleged AI-assisted romance fraud
Older Thai woman targeted in alleged AI-assisted romance fraud
BANGKOK, Aug. 24, 2026 — A Thai woman nearing 60 is believed to have lost almost 100,000 baht ($3,100) after falling for an alleged online romance scam involving a man claiming to be Korean whose photographs may have been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence.
The scam was halted when a friend intervened before the woman transferred a further 18,000 baht after the online contact claimed he had been detained by Thai immigration authorities and needed money to resolve the matter.
The case was shared on Facebook on Aug. 23 by Eamorn Dechthawisut, owner of the Luk Sao Nai Dam wholesale shop in Uthai Thani province. Eamorn said the woman was a close acquaintance who had repeatedly brought cash to the shop to make bank transfers.
The woman initially refused to disclose who was receiving the money or where she had obtained the funds, telling Eamorn: “You don’t need to know.”
During the previous week, the woman asked Eamorn to transfer 18,000 baht, saying the money was for her niece. She had already made two or three transfers of between 30,000 and 40,000 baht each, Eamorn said.
The repeated transfers prompted Eamorn to suspect that her friend was being targeted by fraudsters. She estimated the woman’s total losses at close to 100,000 baht.
The woman initially refused to show her phone but later allowed Eamorn to read the messages. The online contact used photographs of a handsome man believed to be Korean, repeatedly addressed her affectionately and made promises about a future together.
Eamorn said she suspected the photographs had been created or altered using AI. The woman remained convinced that the man was genuine and believed he would come to Thailand so the two could live together.
The latest request came after the man allegedly claimed he had been detained at an immigration office and urgently needed money. He reportedly promised to repay the woman later.
Instead of making the transfer, Eamorn offered to travel by van to collect the man and bring the money directly to him.
The contact became angry and questioned why Eamorn was interfering, insisting that the money be transferred, according to Eamorn’s account.
Eamorn also noticed a change in the writing style and tone of the messages. Another person subsequently claimed to be the man’s supervisor.
To persuade her friend that the images were not proof of an arrest, Eamorn showed her examples of AI-generated images depicting people in handcuffs, being arrested and entering prison.
Eamorn said she shared the incident as a warning to social media users, particularly older people and those living alone, against sending money to strangers who quickly establish romantic relationships online.
The account was based on Eamorn’s Facebook post and could not independently establish the identity of the online contact or whether AI was used to create or manipulate the photographs.
